1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for producing an object by laser and an apparatus for conducting the method, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for producing an object without using a mold by melting a metal, ceramic or other such material by passing it through a laser beam and progressively depositing the molten material at a prescribed location so as to assume a prescribed shape. In this specification the term "object" is used to encompass both articles which are finished products and articles for use as components of various kinds of equipment and the like.
2. Prior Art Statement
One of the inventors previously proposed a method for adhering material melted by a laser beam to a substrate by causing a laser beam to pass near the substrate without impinging thereon and supplying the material so as to cut through the laser under acceleration in the direction of the substrate (Japanese Patent Publication SHO No. 63-66900).
This earlier invention enables materials with a wide range of melting points to be instantaneously melted and attached to a substrate. Moreover, since the material is melted in a laser beam and immediately adhered to the substrate, the resulting coating layer is almost totally free of impurities and constitutes a high quality deposited material.
The present invention is an improvement on this earlier laser beam spraying method, whose object is to provide a method and apparatus for producing an integral object of desired shape without use of a mold.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a method and apparatus for seamlessly and integrally producing from a plurality of different materials an object exhibiting excellent abrasion resistance, heat resistance and other superior mechanical properties.